After what seemed like non-stop teases and leaks, Nothing has officially revealed its latest devices – the budget Headphone (a), the expected Phone (4a), and the step-up Phone (4a) Pro.
It's the last of those products listed that I was most looking forward to seeing as part of Nothing's official launch event – which took place in London's Central Saint Martins college – and I've been left gobsmacked in the very best of ways.
I've tested hundreds of the best Android phones over the years, so I've seen a wide variety of sometimes outlandish finishes and options. But I think this Nothing combination of finish and colour is my favourite lesser conventional one to date.
Nothing doesn't overstate it, either. Pictured throughout this article is the Phone (4a) Pro in its agreeably named 'Pink'. Unlike its lower-spec Phone (4a) sibling, however, the Pro model's metal finish delivers a different, considerably subtler result.
Indeed, the aluminium frame gives a far more metallic, silver-like sheen than the 'Pink' would imply. There's a hint of rosiness, of course, just not from every angle when it's catching sunlight – as you can see from my TikTok post above.
I've received my own Nothing Phone (4a) Pro review sample, which I'm moving into as I type this very piece, but that model is the (frankly less exciting) 'Silver'. It's this 'Pink' version that's so undeniable that I simply had to cover it separately.
Check out my hands-on pictures in the gallery below to see the finer details of what the Phone (4a) Pro has to offer and how its rear camera enclosure and Glyph Matrix stand apart from the aluminium body in a seethrough section.
When Nothing set out on its mobile phone journey, the stand-apart design signature from the brand was always see-through, enabling some internal components to be visible.
The Phone (4a) Pro takes an element of that concept, but pares it back to minimal. That allows for a fully aluminium frame for the first time, in a device that I think looks and feels much more the flagship than some previous budget Nothing devices.
It's a key point of distinction that separates the Pro from its lower-spec Phone (4a) counterpart, too, which features a more plasticky and transparent-focused finish. Both are available in 'Pink', but the way that's delivered on metal is, for me, far preferable.
Interestingly, the (4a) series doesn't provide a huge leap between camera setups, like the previous (3a) and (3a) Pro models. Both feature a 3.5x optical zoom this time around, making the design materials a much bigger differentiator than previously.
I shan't dig deep into core specs here, as this is a focus on the Phone (4a) Pro's design and colour. But I'll find out when reviewing the phone in the coming weeks whether the upgraded spec will deliver a more viable experience.
After all, at £499 in the UK and $599 in the USA, this Nothing device is a direct competitor to the Google Pixel 10a, Apple iPhone 17e and a batch of the other best budget phones out there.
